The Spyker B6 Venator Spyder Concept

All images courtesy of Spyker

In case you haven't heard, Dutch automaker is back from the dead after trying to resurrect poor Saab (which is also back,interestingly enough). With some new Chinese backers the automaker is back to making some of the rarest and most unique cars in the industry. And it recently showed off the B6 Venator Spyder Concept, the drop top version of its earlier concept car.

The concept is supposedly essentially the production form of the car. Normally automakers tone down the crazy aspects of concept vehicles when they turn into production models, but Spyker is far from normal. I expect what we are looking at will be pretty much what you can purchase.

Another piece of good news: you might not have to drain your rainy day trust fund to afford the car. It will be a "downmarket" vehicle and so will likely only cost what you would pay for an AMG or two (approximately).

But look what you get for the price! Spyker has engraved its name and motto not only on the wheels, but the edges of the tailpipes. You don't find that kind of attention to detail in many cars these days. Oh, and in case you were wondering what "nulla tenaci invia est via" means, it is Latin and says "For the tenacious, no road is impassable." It's a fitting logo for an automaker that just doesn't give up.

The Venator also comes with green glowing gauges that look so very much like the instruments in old airplanes. The large switches and metal center stack are also a tribute to past airships.

My favorite detail is the quilted leather. It's a feature you can find on mass production vehicles like Infinitis, but Spyker did one better and wrapped the headrest fairings with quilted leather! It's touches like these that make Spyker a breath of fresh air in a field crowded with spontaneously combusting prancing ponies and Teutonic sledgehammers.

I'm a fan of funky design. This car looks almost steampunk and I hope it sees production.

What do you think of the Spyker B6 Venator Spyder?

Toyota Finally Shows Signs of Life, Yet Haters Gonna Hate

Images courtesy of  Toyota

In the past I have argued that Toyota has killed off its soul as an automaker because it stopped producing exciting models like the Supra, MR2 and Celica and instead has been pumping out quite a few uninspiring vehicles in bland colors. This is why I was shocked when Toyota revealed it was co-developing the Scion FR-S (or Toyota GT) with Subaru. The Lexus LFA was another surprising move by a company known for its body rolls and numb steering.


It now seems that Toyota is not finished with its attempts to produce more exciting vehicles, even if it continues to produce massive amounts of Camrys for people who do not want to feel like they are driving when they are driving. And of course there are quite a few irrational haters out there who will continue to hate Toyota even as the automaker starts to break away from the thing these people supposedly hate it for.

One huge surprise was the recent reveal of the Toyota Hybrid-R, a high-powered and more aggressive-looking Yaris that is outfitted with a hybrid powertrain. I saw quite a few people gagging that Toyota used a Yaris for a performance concept as they complained that the Yaris is gutless or "too small." The gutless argument is irrelevant considering the car's powertrain has been swapped out. As for the "too small" argument, I'm sure plenty of these people would not have any qualms about getting behind the wheel of an MR2, Pontiac Fiero or something like that, which was a completely tiny car.

There were even some who still accused Toyota of being "boring" because their performance car was a hybrid and, as all of us who did not even get our GED know, hybrids are automatically slow, boring cars that are driven by "tree huggers" who care about not breathing in a bunch of carcinogens. These people irrationally fight against progress in the automotive industry and likely were on the forefront of letting everyone know why electronic fuel injection was ruining cars back in the day.

So what's to hate about the Toyota Hybrid-R Concept? It's styling is a little wild, but it's a concept vehicle. I'm not a huge fan of the look of the Yaris, but the big gaping air intake in the front fascia, larger wheels and side skirts actually make it look better. But the real exciting thing is Toyota has produced a hybrid vehicle that could spank the hell out of most pure gasoline-powered vehicles. The Hybrid-R's powertrain pumps out an impressive 414 horsepower. The car is outfitted with a motor that will send power to the rear wheels as needed so slippage does not occur during hard cornering maneuvers.

I would think people would welcome a Toyota hybrid that can whip around a track, instead of yet another version of the Prius. Maybe some people are, but there are plenty of whiny little fanboy racers who are taking to social media to roast Toyota when the company finally is showing some signs of life once again. Because haters are gonna hate irrationally no matter what.

Smart Shows off the Fourjoy Concept

Photography courtesy of Daimler.

In today's automotive industry automakers simply cannot stand still. This is true even if an automaker is owned by a humongous company like Daimler, which is why it is concerning Smart seems to have stalled out. Sure, the company has released all kinds of weird takes on the quirky (and herky jerky) Fortwo, including a version with wings that look straight out of Mario Kart. And while the Fortwo makes for an incredibly easy car to park, Smart needs to start expanding its product lineup.


With a new generation of the Fortwo on the horizon (which is being co-developed with French automaker Renault) Smart recently showed off a new concept vehicle at the Frankfurt auto show. The concept vehicle is called the Fourjoy because it is for four occupants and supposedly will be a joy to drive (the jury's still out on that one). As you can see from the pictures, the vehicle looks quite futuristic, like it was designed for the next Tron movie or maybe yet another futuristic movie with Tom Cruise playing futuristic, black gloves-wearing
tough short action hero. In all seriousness, though, this is pretty normal for concept cars.

Getting back on the subject of the Fourjoy, Smart is playing the details on its new generation of vehicles close to its chest. The Fourjoy does offer some clues about what the rumored four-door Smart car will look like. Smart has revealed that it will keep the rear engine layout and that the platform will be shared with the Renault Twingo. The Fourjoy comes with the drivetrain from the current Fortwo Electric Drive. It is missing a roof, doors and rear window, but speculation is that by slapping those parts on the car we have a good look at the future

four-door Smart.

And of course what is a concept car without some crazy features? The Fourjoy comes with two electric skateboards (because pushing is just too much exercise) and helmets that strap into a compartment in the rear. The car also comes with an HD camera that allows you to share those joyous driving moments with friends on social media, which is a feature you should expect to see not only in future Smart vehicles but from other automakers as well.

Would you consider driving a Smart Fourjoy? What do you think of the funky, futuristic interior? Would you be interested in a future Smart with removable doors so you can be like Wrangler owners? Leave a comment below.